methane emissions

President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced yesterday that the United States and Canada would partner to cut methane emissions from their oil and gas sectors by 40-45 percent below 2012 levels in under a decade. This is great news, and we applaud this cooperative effort.
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Perhaps the only thing growing as fast as the Powerball Jackpot this week is the liability that Southern California Gas Company faces for its massive natural gas leak discovered last October. The leak’s three month anniversary, on January 23rd, is expected to pass without any resolution, and current estimates are that it will not be stopped until at least March 2016. We know the leak has very negative implications for the climate—so what is happening to hold the company accountable for its impacts? Read more >

In last week’s State of the Union (SOTU) address, President Obama reiterated his support for climate science by unequivocally stating “The debate is settled. Climate change is a fact.” He also should be commended for highlighting the urgency of the problem as local communities are already experiencing damaging and costly climate impacts like drought, wildfires, heat waves, and coastal flooding.

But the President’s enthusiasm for increasing natural gas production and use as an important climate solution missed the mark. And like his climate action plan speech at Georgetown University last June, the President highlighted the economic benefits of increasing U.S. natural gas production, while failing to mention the economic risks of an overreliance on natural gas. Read more >

If you’ve been following the discussion of pollution risks around the unconventional oil and gas development that has been enabled by hydraulic fracturing and other technologies, then you’ve probably heard a lot about water contamination risks. These risks are certainly worth discussing, but discussion of air pollution risks also deserves some attention. We want to take the time to talk about air quality concerns—not just because this is where Gretchen’s past interests lie—but also because current research suggests there may be real risks from air pollution near oil and gas activities. Read more >